Day Seven

Last night I attended a meeting with the Natural Lands Preservation Advisory Board. The meeting began by electing a new president and vice president for the board and the approval of the minutes from the last meeting. Then the board discussed community member comments on the Horse Gulch Management Plan. Major concerns were adding different types of biking trails, more aggressive trails and if dogs should be allowed to be off leash. It was decided that the board supported the idea of rephrasing the signage and law to allow owners to have their dogs off lease if they are under voice control. If not they could be ticketed. This would require the changing of laws and signage. This gave a transition to discussion over how the wildlife that populates that area is being affected by the increase in human activity. Talks about the balance between recreation and wildlife lead to the topic of seasonal closures and that was going to be researched more and brought up at later meetings. The Oxbow Park and Preserve was the next topic on the agenda. Many members of the public had showed up that lived near the Park and Preserve. There was some debate over what language of the conservation easement and a small community need to have more input during the purchasing of the property. There was also a comment made that there should also be a plan for how to protect the wildlife on the property and this should be as important as the other developments that may be occurring on the Sherman Parcel and the Oxbow Park and Preserve.

Today I started off by attempting to translate my conceptual idea that I had in my head and had sketched out onto a map in the GIS program. I had exponentially more success today than I did yesterday. I refined the natural surface trails and the River Trail and added the turn around, Parking areas, River Trail access and the Trail head. I am going to talk with Scott, the landscape architect, on Thursday, about my design. I conducted my mentor interview today and Steve Smith my Chemistry teacher stopped by the office.  

Updated Trail System (in yellow)



Dirt Road and Turn Around for Buses and Trailers (in green)

Parking areas (in orange)

 Tomorrow I am going to refine my conceptual design more however I am attending the Green Business Round table at the Strater and then I have a River Watch lab with Steve so I will be quite busy.

These designs are not final and do not reflect views of the City of Durango.